Kansas State basketball is headed to the Big Apple in December for Big 12/Big East battle

Arne Green, Topeka Capital-Journal

MANHATTAN — Kansas State basketball will travel to the Big Apple for the 2024 edition of the Big 12/Big East Battle.

The Wildcats will face St. John's on Dec. 7 in New York, either at Madison Square Garden or the Red Storm's 5,602-seat on-campus Carnesecca Arena, according to a joint statement Thursday by the two conferences. The game will be broadcast on one of the FOX network's properties.

This will mark the third meeting between K-State and St. John's and the first in 60-plus years since the Red Storm won, 72-65, on Dec. 10, 1965, in the Sunflower Doubleheader at Allen Fieldhouse in Lawrence. The Wildcats won the first game, 63-50, at Ahearn Field House on Dec. 16, 1961.

The game between K-State and St. John's is one of 11 matchups in the series, starting Dec. 3 and running through Sunday, Dec. 8. The Big East will be host for six games and the Big 12 for five.

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Mar 15, 2024; New York City, NY, USA; St. John's Red Storm head coach Rick Pitino coaches against the Connecticut Huskies during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 15, 2024; New York City, NY, USA; St. John's Red Storm head coach Rick Pitino coaches against the Connecticut Huskies during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Eleven of the 16 Big 12 teams will compete in the event, with Arizona, Arizona State, Central Florida, Colorado and Utah left out.

K-State is 1-3 all time in the Big 12/Big East Battle, picking up its only victory last year at home against Villanova, 72-71, in overtime. The Wildcats lost to Marquette in 2019 and 2021 and at Butler in 2022.

K-State's all-time record against Big East teams is 26-27 after beating Villanova and Providence last season. But they are 4-16 in road games with seven straight losses.

St. John's is coming off a 20-13 season, its first under coach Rick Pitino, and finished fifth in the Big East with an 11-9 mark and was one of the last teams left out of the NCAA Tournament.

K-State was 19-15 in its second season under Jerome Tang, culminating with a first-round National Invitation Tournament loss at Iowa.

Arne Green is based in Salina and covers Kansas State University sports for the Gannett network. He can be reached at agreen@gannett.com or on Twitter at @arnegreen.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas State basketball to battle St. John's in the Big Apple

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